Los Angeles freelance science writer and editor
When I started diving, I made a promise to myself to take a dive trip at least once a year. I did a pretty good job sticking with that philosophy for a couple of decades. Well, until the pandemic. Then any plans I had before the lockdowns were delayed and then delayed, and then delayed... Continue Reading →
In December of 2019, I made a deposit on a dive trip on a liveaboard to the Banda Sea in Indonesia for September of 2020. Adios to my deposit, I thought just a few months later when the lockdowns began. I’d said yes to a destination I’d been to twice before – a destination with... Continue Reading →
by Janice Nigro Liam was his first name. The trail guide. A strapping young New Zealander. Handsome, I thought to myself, still getting the sleep out of my eyes. In the next moment, he delivered the news in his New Zealand accent. The others in the group had canceled the guided day hike on the... Continue Reading →
by Janice Nigro “Bird by Bird” if you’re ever to read any books by Anne Lamott, it should be this one. She wrote it as a memoir focused on her wisdom on writing, but I can’t get those words out of my head now when I think about any project I’m working on. Because when... Continue Reading →
by Janice Nigro Did you know sea stars have eyes? I didn’t, not until I started writing my fictional romance novel. Yep, they have a visual organ called an eyespot. And get this, they have one at the end of each of their arms! These eyespots detect light and dark, and large structures like the reef,... Continue Reading →
by Janice Nigro Two months under lockdown. Another month and it will be one quarter of the year. This is unbelievable. And yet, I’m worried that if it’s coming to the end, have I accomplished anything? The lockdown is one of those things like the seasons which we don’t have much of in California. Seasons... Continue Reading →
by Janice Nigro If you didn’t know what molecular biologists did before SARS-CoV-2, you might now know that what they do matters. While the rest of us are locked down in our basements, molecular biologists have come out of theirs, forcing people to bone up on their basic biology. “What is a virus?” or What... Continue Reading →
by Janice Nigro Wow, April 2020 is one for the books. Suddenly, it is May and already 06 May 2020. Cinco de Mayo has passed. So has the deadline for lifting lockdown. Funny how 30 April has just sneaked past us. Life is not so different for me, especially as a freelance writer and editor.... Continue Reading →
It's still gray along the SoCal coast into the middle of August. I'm not complaining. Here's my second haiku, another homage to the marine layer which keeps things cool along the coast in summer. Am I right about the clouds from the marine layer in the afternoon? It also happens to be my favorite time... Continue Reading →
by Janice Nigro I have been living in Southern California for several years now. I know, I hear a collective “aww” it can’t be that hard to live here-sun, palm trees, and the ocean wilderness right there in front of me. But you always give something up to get something else. In my case, I... Continue Reading →
Janice Nigro 